Search

The aim of this study is to identify opportunities for the development of the Latvian forest sector and to assess competition. Nowadays, the development and sustainability of natural resources is of great importance. The forest resource in Latvia is valued as the most important national natural resource. It is therefore necessary to identify and analyse the factors influencing its development. The study included an analysis of the Latvian forest sector exports. The research methodology includes theoretical concepts and a framework of factors influencing the forest sector. The aim of this paper is to analyse the export performance of the Latvian forest sector and to present data on the export of forest sector products, collected within the framework of the study, depending on the degree of processing of the product, as well as to determine the breakdown of partner countries for forest sector exports. The study involved surveys of companies in the sector and expert interviews. The data from the study show that Latvia's forest sector exports have great potential. The largest share in the forest sector's export structure is occupied by primary processing products, followed by further processing products, which overtake the position of logs and by-products. The total value of Latvia's forest sector exports, like the total value of the country's exports, has tended to increase. The analysis of the data obtained will allow an understanding of the factors influencing the development of forestry exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past two decades, biotechnology has provided a motor for environmentally sustainable production and for the development of a diverse range of innovative products. The potential economic and environmental benefits of biotechnology have created a growing strategic interest in bioeconomy. Bioeconomy combines highly research and knowledge intensive economic activities in agriculture, forestry and the food sector with the innovative use of renewable raw materials for material and energy use. This paper aims to study the potential for the further development of bio-based sectors in Latvia and main challenges the development of innovations in bioeconomy faces in Latvia and Baltic Sea Region countries. In this study, the authors have analyzed current situation in Latvia regarding bioeconomy development and have identified innovations fostering sustainable use of natural resources. The research finds out that bioeconomy innovations in the traditional biobased sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries, renewable energies, food and feed, pulp and paper, goes in line with the principles of sustainable development and thus it effects development of sustainable use of natural resources. This paper reviews the support systems for innovations in bioeconomy in EU and Latvia and studies the potential for the further development of bio-based sectors in Latvia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests and the land where the forests grow are some of the key natural resources in Latvia. Forests occupy half of the total area of Latvia. Unlike other countries where deforestation is a problem, the forest area increases in Latvia owing to natural and artificial afforestation activities. The paper analysed changes in the reforested and afforested areas in Latvia in the period 2007-2017 and found that the most essential factors contributing to the reforestation and afforestation were national and European Union financial support, the requirements of the relevant legal framework and amendments to it, economic processes in the country as well as educational measures targeting forest owners. A correlation analysis revealed that the most essential socioeconomic factors that were strongly related to the reforested and afforested areas were as follows: (1) output of products of wood and cork per employee, as well as the value of output and the turnover of the sector; (2) exports of forest industry products from Latvia; (3) GDP per employee; (4) number of employees engaged in manufacture of furniture; (5) number of construction enterprises and the volume of construction. Based on the correlation analysis results, the research constructed three regression equations to be employed to explain changes and forecast trends in the following types of forest area: (1) artificially reforested area; (2) naturally reforested area; (3) afforested plantation area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to identify opportunities for the development of the bioeconomy in Latvia, assessing its role in the development of the agricultural sector. Nowadays, the development and sustainability of natural resources are of great importance. The bioeconomy can be considered as one of the oldest sectors of the economy, which life sciences and biotechnology can transform into one of the most modern sectors of the economy. From a number of perspectives, one of Latvia's development opportunities is the more sustainable and efficient use of natural resources. The bioeconomy provides a combined approach to integrating knowledge-based economic growth, social welfare and environmental protection in agriculture, forestry and fisheries, respecting the principles of the circular economy. The aim of this paper is to provide information on a study carried out to investigate and analyse the development perspectives of the bioeconomy and organic farming in Latvia. The research methodology includes theoretical concepts and a framework of factors influencing the bioeconomy. The study uses the Delphi method, collects data from expert interviews and surveys, uses the Porter's hypothesis method, and analyses the competitiveness of organic farming enterprises in Latvia based on Porter's five forces method. The development of the bioeconomy is mainly related to the production and efficient processing of bioresources. Rural areas and regions are therefore the ones with the greatest potential for development. Research data show that the growth of the bioeconomy will contribute to the development of Latvia's rural areas and regions and that Latvian organic farming enterprises have great potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference of Daugavpils University / Daugavpils Universitates Starptautiskas Zinatniskas Konferences Materiali is the property of Daugavpils University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

It is widely recognized by scholars and experts on international and European Union (EU) level that the waste management and waste reduction are important resource. Turning waste into a resource is an essential part of resource efficiency and boosts a circular economy. Food waste is a serious global issue, which linked to environmental, economic and social impacts. In EU wide accepted is the new paradigm circular economy, in which main accent is given on prevention and significant reduction of waste. The bio-waste, particularly food waste, is recognised as a resource, which should be effectively re-used and recycled. The purpose of research presented in this paper and the consequent first task is to evaluate the current situation of municipal (bio waste) management in Latvia and to identify the main constraints for the achieving waste related targets, which have set on global and EU level. Taking into account that the households besides the food services and retail are significant generators of the food waste in the developed countries, the second task has been set - to evaluate the Latvian households' attitudes and behaviour regarding to the food waste (bio-waste). For solving the second task the questionnaire survey was performed and the data from a survey of nationally representative households as the respondents was used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of community resilience in rural areas comprises the idea of sustainability, ability to adapt or resist new conditions and external influences and to turn possible risks into opportunities. In order to reduce degradation of rural areas and to preserve rural environment and natural resources, rural communities need to be active in setting priorities, decision making and purposeful realization of initiatives. The LEADER program is an important instrument supporting local initiatives to strengthen community resilience through preservation and development of rural areas. The aim of the paper is to analyse community initiatives of the LEADER partnership projects within a context of preservation of natural resources. Content analysis was used as a research method; data on partnership projects in Latvia were obtained via publicly available information on the LEADER projects implemented since 2009. Projects directly (e.g. river cleaning, ecosystem conservation, refurbishment of treatment plants) and indirectly (e.g. community activities that improve accessibility and educate people about biodiversity) linked to the preservation of natural local resources were identified. The authors conclude that community activities for the preservation of natural resources can be seen as a system that focuses on the rational interaction between local human activities and the environment, seeking to ensure the integrity of specific natural sites and participation in both restoration and rational use of natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural resources are one of most important production resources. It is very important to ascertain, what kind of natural resources are available in territory and economically evaluate the existing natural resources in the Vidzeme region. Hypothesis: The natural resources in the Vidzeme region are varied. The aim of the article is: to evaluate economically the existing natural resources in the Vidzeme region. The tasks to complete the aim of the paper are: firstly, to clarity the quiddity of the natural resources and secondly economically evaluate such natural resources: forests, agricultural lands, waters and mineral deposits. The paper consists of two main chapters, introduction, conclusion and proposals. In the first chapter is given information on the natural resources. In the second chapter, there is the economic evaluation of the natural resources in the Vidzeme region. There is information on forests, agricultural lands, waters and mineral deposits. The following research methods were used: abstractly logical, graphical, monographic, document analysis, deduction, synthesis and statistical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the previous research by author conducted in 2016 [1], the indicators characterizing natural resources in Latvian rural municipalities were analysed, looking for connections with the overall territorial development and growth. The study concluded that there are significant differences in the development of municipalities, using the complex territorial development index (TDI) and analysing the available natural resources, such as forests, agricultural land areas, receiving EU funding, etc. The municipalities with the highest TDI values did not have significant natural resources. Their development was mainly determined by their location - close to the capital Riga, which is the largest economic centre in Latvia, thus forming a distinctly monocentric spatial structure. The positions of the Latvian government regarding regional policy, which are included in the National Development Plan 2021-2027, are oriented towards the promotion of polycentrism, thus forming the basis for sustainable and balanced development of all territories. Policy makers point out that the fact that growth has not been territorially balanced, as inequality is still high and the growth of remote regions lags behind the Riga region, creates significant long-term risks. This study analyses whether there have been changes in the five-year period, both in terms of the overall territorial development of rural municipalities, as well as in evaluating the changes in natural resource indicators, raising the issue of the effective use of natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latvia is divided into six statistical regions. The total area of this country is 64.6 thousand km². The most important natural resource for the economy of Latvia is forests. According to the data of the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, the total forested area is 3.5 million hectares, covering 56.9% of Latvia's territory. Vidzeme region and Kurzeme region are the most forested regions in Latvia. Forests cover 871.5 thousand ha in Vidzeme region and 752.3 thousand ha in Kurzeme region. Therefore, the authors of the paper decided to study those regions deeper. The socio-economic value of forests in Vidzeme region is EUR 1.27 billion, while in Kurzeme region -- EUR 1.11 billion. Of all Latvia's forests, 50.3% are state-owned and the remaining 49.7% are under different ownership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public procurement is the acquisition of products and services needed for the public sector and involves significant public budget resources. Incorporating environmental requirements into public procurement promotes both the goals of sustainable development and the principles of the circular economy. Green public procurement practices are becoming increasingly important, not only in the world, but also in Latvia. Therefore, in 2017, the Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy 2030 was approved, which envisages the development of green procurement as an important factor for the implementation of this strategy. Therefore, the aim of the present research is to study one of the sections "Replacement of non-renewable resources with sustainable bioresources in public procurement" for the implementation of the strategic goal of the Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy 2030 "Attractive business environment for entrepreneurship in bioeconomy" in Latvia. The study found that since 2017, a system of regulatory enactments has been established in Latvia, which provides for certain groups of goods and services to which green procurement is mandatory in public procurement and groups of goods and services to which green public procurement is applicable on a voluntary basis. These product groups include important products produced and processed and services provided in the bioeconomy sectors. In general, the introduction of green public procurement procedures and requirements in Latvia is to be assessed positively, as in 2017-2020 the total amount of procurement has increased 3.1 times from EUR 282 million to EUR 867 million and in 2020 accounted for 17% of the total amount of public procurement. In turn, mandatory and voluntary green public procurement of goods and services has increased 3.2 times in the analysed period and accounted for 77% of the total amount of green public procurement, which promotes the development of bioeconomy in Latvia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bioeconomy refers to economic activities using renewable biological resources to produce energy and consumer goods. The role of the bioeconomy in the world tends to increase, as countries need to find environmentally friendly solutions under changing climate conditions. For this reason, bioeconomy strategies are developed in many countries to purposefully contribute to their development. Among the Baltic States, Latvia was the first one to design and adopt its national bioeconomy strategy (Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy 2030) in 2017. Therefore, the aim of the present research is to assess progress in implementing the Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy 2030 and analyze stakeholder assessments of the progress. The research found that two of the three objectives defined in the strategy are likely to be achieved – to increase the bioeconomy export production value, which could be achieved as early as 2027, while the objective to increase the added value of bioeconomy products could be achieved by 2030. The analysis performed showed that the third objective – the promotion and preservation of employment in bioeconomy industries to up to 128 thou. – might not be achieved, as the employment in the bioeconomy decreased by 3% in the period 2017-2018. The failure to achieve the third objective defined in the strategy regarding employment indicates an increase in labor productivity in the bioeconomy industries. The industry experts and scientists interviewed emphasized that growth in the bioeconomy industries would require investment in research and development (R&D) to realize their potential for development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural land is an important natural resource exploited for agricultural production to provide food for the population. The pressure on agricultural resources has increased in the world, as the population grows and non-food land uses increase. In Latvia, the utilized agricultural area (UAA) has decreased since 1991, and in 2020 it was 2.3 mln. ha or 36% of the total area of the country, while the forest area increased, and in 2020 it was 3.1 mln. ha or 48% of the total area. In 2019 in Latvia, the unfarmed and overgrown area, which was not used for productive agricultural production, totaled 256 thou. ha. Therefore, the overall aim of the present research is to assess the current use of and exploitation potential for the agricultural area, the factors hindering access to agricultural land as well as relevant national support programs in Latvia. The present research analyzed opportunities for using a part of the unfarmed and overgrown agricultural area for agricultural production in the future, assessing the classification and quality characteristics of the agricultural land – soil types, agricultural land qualitative estimates (in points) and the area ameliorated. To identify the accessibility of agricultural land, the research analyzed arable land and agricultural land prices and land rents in Latvia. To reduce the shortcomings caused by the market, taking into account the importance of agricultural land as the main natural resource in Latvia, the following national support programs for increasing the accessibility of agricultural land were analyzed: the Lending Program for Land Acquisition and the Land Fund of Latvia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the national policy and development documents of Latvia, forest, along with other natural resources, is defined as an important strategic resource for the sustainable overall development of the country and the development of a diverse and exportintensive economy. At the same time, the need to exploit forests sustainably, reducing the risks to the quality of the natural environment posed by human activities, is emphasized by the documents. The research question is as follows: Are forests in Latvia overexploited and what factors affect the forest owner activities? The research examined the exploitation of wood resources in the country in the period 2007-2018 and found that the main factors that affected the forest owner activities were the economic crisis, the situation in the timber market, timber prices and climatic conditions. Analyzing statistical data on forestry and logging in the country, the research found that forests in Latvia were exploited sustainably. A correlation analysis revealed that the socio-economic factors that were strongly related to the exploitation of wood resources in the country and that could be employed in identifying (1) timber production in stateowned forests; (2) timber production in the other forests and (3) changes in the area logged were as follows: (1) the number of persons employed in the wood and wood products sector; (2) the number of persons employed in forestry and logging, and (3) the financial performance of businesses operating in the wood and wood products sector. Based on the correlation analysis results, three parabolic regression equations, which could be used to predict trends in the factors examined, were constructed. The research employed general scientific research methods, statistical analysis and mathematical methods, data provided by the Central Statistical Bureau, statistical data and public reports provided by the State Forest Service as well as legal acts and policy documents of the Republic of Latvia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Latvia, land is the key natural resource, and the use of it for production purposes is of great importance. The utilised agricultural area in Latvia totalled 1.93 mln.ha, of which 47% or 905 thou.ha was grassland. Meadows and pastures had a 70% proportion, while permanent grasses had a 30% proportion in the cropping pattern for grassland. Therefore, the overall aim of the present research is to identify the grassland area and the geographic locations of and the cropping pattern for grasslands in Latvia. To achieve the aim, the following specific research tasks are defined: 1) to analyse the grassland area and the geographic locations of grasslands in Latvia; 2) to identify the demand for and supply of green biomass in Latvia. The research found that arable land was cropped with grasses mostly in soils having a higher qualitative estimate than the soils of meadows and pastures had. However, 75% of the total meadow and pasture area was located in territories with soils having a qualitative estimate in the range of 25-44 points, and almost 10% of the area had soils qualitatively estimated at 25 points. The research estimated the demand for and supply of green biomass. Overall, the supply of green biomass considerably exceeded the demand for it in Latvia, yet in some territories of the country where the largest dairy farms were located the supply was insufficient on a local scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smart development is a quite new tendency introduced in regional and territorial planning focusing on innovations, effective use of resources and knowledge based economics. Therefore there is no methodology elaborated jet how to characterise the smart territorial development progress in municipalities on Latvia. The National Research Program EKO-SOC-LV is established to create knowledge base on sustainable development processes of the state and society, and to elaborate a theoretical justification for sustainable development strategies and action policies through diverse scientific research. One of the aims is to analyse processes of rural and regional development and possibilities within the framework of economy in Latvia. During this research program smart territorial development measuring approach was elaborated. This article describes the methodology how to assess and evaluate the progress and level of smart territorial development. In this approach the smart territorial development includes four dimensions - smart people (active, skilled and educated), smart economics (innovative, knowledge intense, high-tech industries), smart use of nature resources and smart governance (inclusive, active in communication and effective in use of e-services). Each dimension is characterised by numerous indicators - 19 in total. The methods used in research are: monographic, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, statistical analysis methods, cluster analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the EU Member States experience a significant increase in resource efficiency; however, the environmental resource efficiency indicators in the Baltic States, including Latvia, are significantly lower than the EU average indicators and an improvement in figures is too slow. Environmental taxes serve as an essential fiscal instrument for the increase of resource efficiency. Therefore, the research aim is to assess the application of environmental taxes as a fiscal instrument to increase the resource efficiency in Latvia. Monographic, analysis and synthesis, and graphic method are used to achieve the research aim. The research results evidence that the application of fiscal instruments for the solution of environmental problems is insufficient in Latvia. Especially during the economic recession (2010-2011) environmental taxes were mostly used as a fiscal instrument to maximise the budget revenues by increasing taxes related with the use of vehicles. It shall be noted that revenues from these taxes are not channelled for the solution of environmental problems. In Latvia, the household sector is the major provider of environmental tax revenues and the sector shows an increasing tax revenue contribution trend. Households mostly pay taxes related with the use of vehicles. However, Latvia envisages to increase substantially resource and pollution taxes from 2017; the increase is implemented in line with the environmental tax purpose - to reduce damage to the environment through the introduction of circular economy principles; thereby, contributing to an increase in resource efficiency. An especially rapid tax increase is planned for household and hazardous waste; thus, significantly reducing waste disposal and promoting their recycling and further use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past years, there have been scientific and decision-makers' discussions on how to evaluate a territorial development level. In the past decades, the focus has been mainly on economic indicators, leaving the social or environmental dimension out of it. Different territorial evaluation indexes are used by the local or national government in the EU to determine a development level and evaluate the results of regional and rural policies. At the moment, the main tool used by the Latvian government in order to evaluate a territorial development level is the territorial development index (TDI). The TDI describes mostly the economic and social dimensions, including such indicators as unemployment rate, personal income tax revenue, number of criminal offenses, entrepreneurship activity etc.; therefore, it is essential to determine the impact and significance of natural resources in a territorial development evaluation. The aim of the research is to determine the main role and significance of natural resources (forest, land, minerals) in the rural development evaluation system in Latvia. The methods used in the research are as follows: monographic, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, statistical analysis methods, factor analysis and cluster analysis. The research showed that there were significant differences comparing TDI values and the amounts and availability of natural resources in municipalities. The highest TDI values were for those municipalities which are located close to the capital city of Riga, although they did not have any natural resources and the main economic sector was services (wholesale in particular). On the other hand - municipalities with a larger amount of natural resources were showing lower TDI values. The capacity to use natural resources effectively in order to foster the development of a municipality is insufficient and has to be increased. It may be achieved by introducing the environmental dimension in the rural development evaluation system and by making changes in regional policy guidelines and expected results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The awareness on the harmful impact of lubricants and industrial fluids entering the environment due to leakage or spillage has increased considerably during the last years. Hydraulic fluids can be classified as "high risk loss" lubricants - they are used in large volumes in equipment that is susceptible to spills. Hydraulic fluids currently used in Latvia in wood harvesting and other environmentally sensitive areas still are mainly based on mineral oils which are not biodegradable and are dangerous to the environment. Completely different is the situation in other EU countries, e.g., in Sweden, where the Swedish standard SS 155434 is a legal requirement: lubricants not fulfilling these criteria for biodegradable hydraulic fluids are not permitted on the Swedish market. There is an obvious need for elaboration of compositions of hydraulic fluids based on renewable natural resources in order to initiate and to promote production of such products in Latvia. Vegetable oil-based lubricants have excellent lubricity and biodegradability, but two major problems exist with vegetable oils as functional fluids: low resistance to thermal oxidation and poor performance at low temperatures. We developed compositions of hydraulic fluids using as base stocks rapeseed oil and esters of its fatty acids with polyols - neopentyl glycol (NPG), trimethylolpropane (TMP) and pentaerythritol (PE) - as well as 2-ethylhexyl esters of estolides of rapeseed oil. Besides that mixture of rapeseed oil with pentaerythritol esters of fatty acids (7:3) also was made. We used tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) as oxidation inhibitor, Lubrizol 7671A as pour point depressant and polymethylsiloxane as antifoam agent in our formulations. The following technical parameters of our compositions were tested: kinematic viscosity at 40 °C and 100 °C, viscosity index, oxidative stability, cold-flow properties, acid value, foaming, air release, flash point. The elaborated formulations corresponded to the main requirements set for biodegradable hydraulic fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]